Haunting Memories Flashback
by Jville
Summary: Finished! Memories of the past and an unknown person terrorizes the team and Donovan's Family.
1. Default Chapter

**DISCLAIMER: We don't own the characters of UC UNDERCOVER. We only borrow then for a while. I make up all other characters. If they are names of actual persons this was not done intentionally. We do use our friends' names occasionally. **

**Written by: Jville and Sweetangeldoball**

**HAUNTING MEMORIES FLASHBACK**

Frank was just getting home from a late night meeting. He, Cody and Monica in the van while Jake and Alex met with their target for the case they were working. It was very late and he knew that Elaina would be asleep by now. He walked past their bedroom and Derek's room to check on Sarah. He found her sleeping peacefully holding her teddy bear. He reached down and pulled her blanket up over her and tucked her in as he always did.

As he walked back he noticed that the light in Derek's room had turned on. He knocked on the door.

"Come on in Dad," Derek said.

"What are you doing up this late?" Frank asked walking to the bed to sit down.

"I heard you come in. I have been wanting to talk to you but you are always gone before I get up."

"Well, here I am," Frank said, fanning his arms out. "What do you want to talk about?" 

"I asked Maria if she could get me the entrance exam for Quantico. She did and I took it."

"How did you do that you aren't 18 yet? You didn't have our permission to take it," Frank said, looking him straight in the eyes.

"I took it but not to actually enter I just wanted to see if I could pass it and I did. Maria said I scored better than she did," Derek said proudly.

"That doesn't mean you will later because they change the questions every so often." Frank put his hands on Derek's shoulder.

"Maria told me that too but I am going to do this Dad. I want to become an agent. I know they would rather have college graduates but they do take people right out of high school too."

"Yes they do. We really need to discuss this with your mother. I'm not saying you can or can't do it without hearing what she has to say." Frank said getting off the bed.

"I realize that you both have reservations about me following in your footsteps but I have set my mind to it and I plan to go to Quantico for training after I turn 18."

"We can talk about this tomorrow sometime, you get some sleep," Frank told him walking out.

*****************

_"Hey there sweetheart I see you're finally awake," Frank said looking at his beautiful wife._

_"How's the baby?" Elaina asked, still groggy. _

_"She's doing fine. The nurses asked me if we had a name picked out for her. I told them I would ask you what you had settled on."_

_"I like the name Sarah." Elaina tried to sit up a little. "Ouch!" _

_"Don't move around yet, just lay still," Frank told her._

_"Frank, it was too soon for me to have her. Are you sure she's alright?"_

_"She's small but she's very strong and stubborn like her mother," Frank told her._

_"I get the feeling that you're keeping something from me. Don't do that to me. I want to know everything that's going on," Elaina insisted._

_"They want to start chemo treatments on you as soon as possible," Frank told her, as he did, his heart sank._

_"No! I want to have more children." Elaina started to cry. "I …I can't believe this is happening to us." _

_"Its ok Lady. I'll help you get through this I promise. I'll be here every step of the way," Frank said, hugging her._

_"I don't want to have the chemo it will ruin any chance of my having another child. I want them to be able to remove my eggs, like the doctor suggested."_

_"Lady." Tears formed in Frank's eyes, he couldn't look directly at her as he told her the news. "You can't have anymore children. They had to perform a partial hysterectomy on you."_

**************

Elaina woke from her dream and sat up. Actually, it was real it was the memory of what had happened to her when Sarah was born. She's had that memory a lot lately, since Sabrina had lost her baby. It had brought back her feelings of hopelessness and emptiness. 

Frank came in and could see her sitting up in bed with the moonlight coming in the window. "Did I wake you?"  

"No. I woke myself up." Elaina tried to conceal that she had been crying but couldn't when he turned the light on. 

"You've been crying again. Did you have the same dream?" Frank held her as she cried more. "It's over, you and Sarah are fine. There's no reason to be dwelling on the sad times. We've had many happy moments together, think about those now and the ones yet to come." He wiped her tears away and gave her a soft kiss.

"I know. I think learning Sabrina lost her baby, caused all this to surface again. There's a reason for it I just have to figure out what it is." Elaina returned his kiss. 

"I'm sure you'll find the reason if there is one." Frank said as the phone rang. "Who could that be at this time of night?"

"I'll get it." Elaina answered the phone. "Hello."

"Elaina. I'm so sorry to be calling you this late, but it's about Jake." The person at the other end was Father Mike.

"Father Mike, slow down. What about Jake?" Elaina said to him as she held Frank's arm.

"He's been shot he's at St Augustine's. Can you and Frank get here as soon as you can? Allison is very worried and needs a friend." 

"Of course we'll be there as quickly as we can. Thank you for calling." Elaina hung up and caught her breath. "Jake's been shot we need to go to St Augustine's."

"Get dressed. I'll go tell Derek we're leaving," Frank said as he started for the door. 

"I'll be ready in a few minutes." Elaina grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt and put them on as Frank was going out the door. She quickly put on her socks and tennis shoes and was tying them as Frank walked back in with her.

"Damn, you are fast when you have to be, aren't you?" Frank joked.

"Yes. Especially when I don't care how I look." Elaina smiled and walked out of the room with him.

Elaina called the other members of the team on the way to the hospital. When they arrived Monica was the first to arrive, as they did. The three of them walked in together and was spotted by Father Mike who was in the hallway watching for them. Allison was talking to a nurse as they entered the waiting room. 

Allison hugged Elaina. Frank and Monica sat down with Father Mike as he told them what happened. "Allison said that Jake had called her and wanted to talk, she had just gotten home from the sanitarium so she told him to come on over," Father Mike explained. "She told me that she watched out the window for him to arrive. When he did, she waved to him and went to unlock the front door. She heard the shots and when she opened the door Jake was laying face down on the porch bleeding."

"Did she see anyone running or driving away?" Frank asked watching the two women together.

"She didn't look. She called for an ambulance, and then she called me to be with her and to call you," Father Mike told him.

"Thank you for helping her. Excuse me." Frank walked over to Allison and Elaina. "Allison, do you want or need anything?"

"Nothing right now, but thank you for asking," Allison answered, as Frank gave her a consoling hug.

"We saw you talking to a nurse was it about Jake's condition?" Frank asked.

"She said they were taking him to surgery. One of the bullets was very close to his spinal cord. It'll be a long surgery.' Allison stopped to compose herself more. "He was shot twice." 

"Take your time there's no hurry." Frank held her hand.

"One shot went through his shoulder. The other in front over to the left, he has a lot of bleeding and they had trouble stabilizing him for surgery. That's all I know right now." Allison leaned her head on Elaina's shoulder. 

"Elaina, did you call Maria?" Monica asked coming over to them.

"Yes, she said she'd be here as soon as she could," Elaina answered.

Cody and Alex arrived together. Cody came over to talk to Allison as Frank went over to talk to Alex. "How are you doing, Allison?" Cody asked sitting down next to her.

"I'm ok, Cody. How is Sabrina?" Allison saw by his expression that Sabrina was still depressed.

"The same; she sits and doesn't talk much. Koby tries to get her to play with him but she just walks away from him. I shouldn't be telling you our problems. You should concentrate on Jake right now." Cody started to get up but Allison stopped him.

"If I didn't want to hear it, I wouldn't have asked. I'm very concerned about her and you. There are feelings she has to deal with sooner or later. I want you both to know that I'll help you through it when you're ready," Allison held his hand as she spoke comforting Cody.

"Thank you, Allison. I just wish I knew when she'd deal with it. I feel her getting further and further away from me. I don't know how to handle this situation," Cody said, sadly.

"With love Cody," Elaina said.

"She's right. Just be there for her and love her," Allison agreed.

"She won't let me touch her when she's crying. I'm just watching from the sidelines as she goes through this." 

"Just tell her you love her and are there for her," Allison told him. "As we are for you. Have you told her how you feel?"

"No, I do tell her I love her she doesn't react to me saying that to her why would she react to how I feel? She never smiles or laughs. Her Mom talks to her every night on the phone but she barely says anything to her," Cody recalled.

"When I called her, she wouldn't talk to me either," Allison said.

Cody looked at Elaina. "You haven't talked to her, have you?"

"Not since she left the hospital. I've been a little selfish. I've been dealing with some memories haunting me. I wouldn't know what to say to her, if I did talk to her." Elaina felt uncomfortable. She got up and walked over to Frank. "I need to go outside for a few minutes."

"I'll go with you Elaina," Alex said, "I need a cigarette."

"Ok but stand down wind remember I don't like cigarette smoke," Elaina told her.

"I remember. I have been trying to quit but times like this, I just have the need," Alex said as they walked out of the waiting room.

******

"Is there something else upsetting Elaina other than Jake being shot?" Monica sat down next to Frank.

"She has something from the past bothering her." Frank sighed and looked worried too.

"Would it be interfering if I asked, what it was?" Monica wondered.

"She has been remembering when I told her she wouldn't have anymore children. I thought she'd handle it better coming from me than the doctor but I was wrong. She didn't want the chemo thinking she'd still have a chance of having another child but I had to tell her about the surgery they performed to save her."

"That must've been a very difficult time for both of you. I can't imagine how I'd react to news like that."

"She handled it better than I thought, but it was still hard for her. She wanted, we both wanted more children. When the doctor told me the news, I didn't react at all. I stood there listening to him, knowing I wanted to be the one to tell her," Frank paused for a minute thinking back. "Then when the time came to tell her, I started to fall apart. I couldn't look her in the eye. I held her hand and looked at it while I told her."

"I don't think I could have told anyone news like that and looked them in the eye." Monica smiled at him.

"I wish I hadn't been the one to tell her in some ways but in others I know she needed me to tell her," Frank said getting up and walking out into the hall.

******

Alex was standing away from Elaina as she smoked. They saw Maria coming from the parking lot. Elaina saw that she was still crying.

"Maria I thought you would've been here sooner, are you ok?" Alex asked before Elaina could.

"I had to talk myself into coming. I couldn't stop crying after you called. I had to call a friend to bring me here," Maria explained as she hugged Elaina.

"You could've called me, I'd have picked you up," Elaina told her.

"I didn't want to bother you. How is Allison doing?" Maria asked.

"She's holding together pretty well. Cody and Monica were with her when we came out. Father Mike and Frank are there, too."

"Where is Sabrina? Isn't she here for Allison, I know they're very close?"

"Sabrina is at home. She's still dealing with her own crisis. Cody said she really isn't dealing with it, she just sits around mostly."

"She shouldn't be alone either," Maria said.

"I don't like her being alone but Cody said she didn't want to come with him."

"Maybe, you should go see her," Maria suggested.

"No. I don't think I should. I can't say anything to her, that will help her right now."

"You always know what to say Lainie. You're good at that sort of thing." Maria looked at Elaina mystified that she wasn't helping her friend.

"Not in this case. I've never experienced what she did." Elaina was becoming very defensive for some reason. "I honestly have no idea what she's going through. I can't help her. She has her mother now she can call her, when she's ready to deal with what happened."

"How can you be that way with her, you're her best friend? She needs you right now more than ever. This is very strange. I can't see you being like this. You act as if you've never had a tragedy in your life to draw from; you have. Use it to help her," Maria told her.

"What tragedy are you talking about? I've never experienced anything like hers," Elaina said, a bit angry.

"When you found out you couldn't have children that was a tragedy. It's similar don't you think?" Alex said, joining the conversation.

"I don't see, where that is anything like hers," Elaina said. "She can still have children. I never will."

"Alex is right. You losing your ability to have children was a great loss too. Can't you talk to her about how you dealt with that and help her a little, at least."

"You both are under the assumption that I want to talk with her about this. Did the thought occur to either of you, that I don't!" Elaina went to go back in.

"Lainie wait!" Maria took her by the arm. "I know it must bring back bad memories but I think it would help you and Sabrina to talk. She really needs someone now, you know that in your heart." Maria was determined.

"I've been thinking about what happened with Sarah. I've had dreams about it every night since Sab miscarried. I just can't deal with all this coming back. How the hell do you want me to help her, when I can't figure out my own feelings."

"You selfish bitch." Maria was hoping to make her angry enough to change her mind.

"What did you say?" Elaina got in her face. 

"You heard me. You're only thinking of yourself; you don't care about Sabrina or what happened to her. You'd rather feel sorry for yourself, than to help a friend in need," Maria argued.

"MARIA! Leave her alone," Alex yelled.

"It's ok Alex. She's right. I **am** feeling sorry for myself." Elaina said to her. She waked right up into Maria's face. "I have problems, too. I'm human just like you are. I can't be there sometimes for others sometimes I have to be here for myself."

"Fine I'll go talk to her if you won't," Maria said.

"No. You won't either. You aren't that close to her, and you'd somehow turn the conversation into an argument with her. I won't have you doing that to her. I'll go see her," Elaina said, giving in to her. "Could you tell Frank where I'm going and call me when there's news about Jake?"

"You know we will. I'm sorry, Lainie but making you mad was the only way, I could get you to see I was right."

"It wasn't the **only** way. It's just your way. You're lucky I have my anger in control or things could've been different. Don't ever call me a selfish bitch again, ok?" Elaina was very serious.

"I won't." Maria hugged her and walked in with Alex as Elaina went to the car to leave.

"Just what are you going to do, Lady?" Elaina asked herself, out loud as she started the car and pulled away from the hospital.

******

Alex and Maria went inside. Maria went to sit next to Allison and Monica; Alex went over to talk to Frank and Cody.

"Where's Elaina?" Frank asked.

"She's going over to see Sab. Maria kind of taunted her into it," Alex informed them.

"She lived through it? That's interesting," Frank chuckled.

"She'll never get in Sab, won't answer the buzzer this time of morning," Cody said.

"You're forgetting, she knows how to get in your apartment," Frank reminded him.

"Oh yeah, I guess she does. I hope Sab doesn't think she's a burglar and hurt her." Cody looked worried.

"Elaina will handle her, don't worry," Frank assured him.

****************

_"Oh great! Cody is out there, he can't see me in my dress," Sab said seeing Cody on the swing set with Derek and Becky._

_"I'll handle it," Elaina said, dialing her phone._

_"Love, will you do me a little favor?" Elaina said sweetly. "Have Cody get his ass in the building. We're here and Sab's not getting out with him in eye shot of her." Elaina hung up. They watch Frank and Jake come out to get Cody._

_"Angel, we aren't having a baby. You miscarried." Cody figured he had to say it out right or he'd never be able to do it._

_"I…I miscarried?" Sab questioned what she heard._

***************

Sab woke for the dream was lying on the couch; she heard the buzzer but ignored it. If it was Cody he'd use his key; if it were anyone else she didn't care it was too early and she didn't want to see anyone either. Having the memories as company was bad enough.

Elaina used the buzzer but got no answer. She used the same code she used the night of the wedding shower and entered the building. "I should never have come here. I really don't want to do this. And talking to myself isn't going to help Sab or me," Elaina said, debating with herself. 

She got on the elevator, she was tired and for a brief moment she closed her eyes. She saw flashes of Sab with Dom before the wedding as he pulled her away from them. Leaving them with the bomb to diffuse. Elaina was jolted back to the present as the elevator stopped.

Elaina used the key she'd been given and entered the apartment. Koby heard the door lock and ran over barking at the person coming in. "Quiet Koby, it's just me." Elaina grabbed him as he tried to jump on her. "I'm getting faster than you, so stay down."

"What are you doing here? Cody told you to come over, didn't he?" Sab sounded angry. Koby went over and sat next to her on the couch.

"Actually it was Maria." Elaina waited for her reaction.

"What? Why the hell would she send you over here?"

"She, like the rest of your friends, was worried about you." 

"She's definitely not my friend." Sab got off the couch and went to the kitchen. "I don't want to talk to anyone." 

"That makes two of us," Elaina said, sitting down in a chair. 

"Then why are you here, bugging me so early in the morning?"

"Well, it's like this. You don't want to talk but everyone that knows us, thinks I'm the one to make you talk. So I figured, if you didn't want to talk to me and I don't want to talk to you, we might as well make everyone happy and not talk to each other here. That way our friends and family will think we talked and we didn't," Elaina explained.

"Nice theory," Sab said, coming back with a glass of OJ.

"I take it you're not serving your company anything to drink?"

"You know where the kitchen is. Get it yourself," Sab said, bitterly, gesturing to the kitchen. 

"No thanks. I think I'll just sit here, close my eyes and get some sleep," Elaina leaned back into the chair. 

"Go right ahead." Sab drank her OJ and stared at Elaina.

"I can't sleep with you staring at me," Elaina said with her eyes still closed.

"I'm not staring at you. Besides, you barged in my home unannounced. I have a right to stare, if I was."

"For someone who didn't want to talk you sure are gabby." 

"I can say the same for you too."

"You're just trying to get the last word in, for once," Elaina, teased her.

"No! I'm not," Sab told her.

"Yes, you are." 

"Damn it Elaina, shut up and sleep or leave," Sab snapped at her.

Elaina started to laugh. "Sorry, I promise to be quiet." Elaina curled up in the chair to try and sleep.

"Thank you." Sab moved Koby over so she could lay down better.

Elaina waited for Sab to almost dose off before she said anything else. "You know, I've been thinking. Maybe we should talk about what happened." 

"No! I don't want to talk to you. So shut the hell up or leave," Sab told her again.

"Make me," Elaina said.

"Why are you doing this? Why do I have to talk about what happened? I lived through it; it was bad enough. I don't need to relive it for you or anyone else," Sab said as Elaina got up to leave.

"Sorry I barged in. If and when you want to talk, let me know." Elaina kissed her goodbye and left.

Sab walked to the doorway wondering why Elaina was acting so strangely. One minute she was trying to talk to her then she walks out on her. She watched Elaina walk to the elevator. Sab saw her lean against the wall near the elevator and start crying. She sighed and walked to where she was. "Something is bothering you, isn't it?"

"I'll be fine. You don't need to know my problems. I'll talk to Frank about it. I'll be fine, honest." Elaina wiped the tears from her face.

"Come on back in, we'll talk." Sab took her hand as they walked back to the apartment. "So tell me what has got you so upset?" Sab asked as they entered the apartment. "If you're worried about me, don't be. I'll be ok. I just have a lot of thinking to do and I just don't want to talk to anyone right now."

"Well, in a way it does concern you. You know how you started to have dreams of your father hitting you after I almost did?" Sab shook her head. "Well, I've been having memories of when I was told I couldn't have any other children."

"My miscarriage brought them back to you?"

"Yeah. I remember up to the point that Frank tells me I won't be having any more children and I wake myself up. Why am I remembering that much and then waking up? That's what's driving me crazy. I know what happened after that."

"Tell me what happened," Sab urged her.

"You know I had chemo what more is there to tell?" Elaina asked.

"I mean what did you say to Frank, when he told you about not having more kids?"

"I just said that it had to happen for a reason and I'd find one." Elaina stopped and laughed.

"You find something funny about not being able to have children?" Sab asked, confused.

"No, of course not. It's just that I said those exact words earlier, when I was talking to Frank. I told him there had to be a reason for me having the memories and I'd figure it out."

"Did you ever figure out the true reason for not having any more children?" Sabrina was curious.

"I'm still searching actually. I know our family the way it is now, is very close for my having gone through it."

"We may not have become close friends, if you hadn't gone through it. That's my own selfish reason."

"We had already met so who knows how close we would've become," Elaina told her.

"That's true but if you hadn't gone through the whole cancer thing, Frank would never have moved here to take over the team."

"True, he quit being a hostage negotiator to stay at home with me and the kids."

"I'd never have become close to Cody, either. You and Frank are the ones that put me on the team full time."

"Cody told me you wouldn't let him touch you. Can you tell me why?" Elaina asked, trying to get Sab to talk about her problems.

"I just don't feel I deserve his love right now. I lost our child. I'm not sure we should even be living together right now."

"Yes, you should be. You shouldn't feel responsible for the miscarriage. It wasn't your fault. Cody loves you he needs you more than you think. And even though you don't think it's true you need his arms around you now more than ever."

"If I hadn't made the decision to go with Dom, I wouldn't have lost the baby. So it's my fault."

"No it isn't; it was that son of a bitch that forced you to go with him. He knows how much you care about your friends and he played on that emotion to get you to go. You really had no choice. I don't want you to ever blame yourself again for what happened." Elaina hugged her. Sab tried to pull away but Elaina wouldn't let her.


	2. Trying To find Clues

**Chapter 2**

Back at the hospital it has been hours since Jake was taken to surgery. Elaina and Sab had come back together. Sab was sitting with Allison and Maria went to sit with Frank and Elaina. The doctor came in to talk to Allison after the surgery.

"Allison I have some good news for you. Jake came through with little difficulty. He's a fighter. We found that out."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Allison said with a frown.

"He scared us when his blood pressure dropped but we got it back up and he didn't give us anymore trouble." The doctor smiled. "Jake will have some paralysis until the swelling around his spinal cord goes down, we managed to get the bullet out with the least amount of trauma as we could. The x-ray was a little deceiving, it wasn't as bad as we thought." 

"When can I see him?" Allison asked.

"I'll allow you to go into recovery, but no one else. He'll be moved after he wakes up."

"Doctor, I want to have someone protecting him until further notice," Frank said to the doctor. 

"Only one agent will be allowed back there. When he's moved you can assign more if you want."

"I can take first watch," Maria volunteered.

"No. I think Alex will take first watch. You're too involved to be a guard," Elaina told her.

"Lainie, I can do it."

"What did I just say, Maria?" Elaina stared her down. "Alex, go on back with Allison."

"Fine. I'll wait." Maria went to sit back down. 

Frank's cell phone rang. When he answered and listened to the person at the other end all the color seemed to drain from his face. He broke the connection and pulled Elaina over away from the others.

"Lady, we need to go home **now**!" Frank told her.

"Why what has happened?"

"There was a fire at the ranch. The kids are fine but we need to get there as soon as we can." 

"Ok, we need to tell them what's going on, we just can't leave." They walked back over to tell the other what they were going to do.

"We have to leave, we have an emergency at the ranch," Frank told them.

"What happened, are the kids ok?" Sab asked in a panicked voice.

"There was a fire. They got out without injury," Frank told them.

"Go on, we will handle things here," Maria told them.

"I want to go. Please?" Sab asked.

"If you want to, come on," Elaina said, wanting to leave.

When they arrived at the ranch the fire trucks and ambulance were all sitting there. The house was damaged at the living room and kitchen area. Elaina looked for the kids and found them sitting in the deputy's squad car. Frank walked over to the fire chief as Elaina and Sab went over to the kids.

"Thank God the three of you were able to get out. What caused the fire?" Elaina was talking fast in her excitement. Derek handed Sarah to her.

"We were just getting Sarah dressed when we heard glass breaking. The alarm was still on and it went off, then the fire alarm went off. I ran down the hall and saw the fire; I also saw a figure throwing another Malakoff cocktail at the house. I went back and told Becky we had to get out of the house. Then we heard glass break in the kitchen." Derek stopped to catch his breath.

"Take your time, Derek," Sab told him. 

"We couldn't get down the stairs, so we had to go out the hall window and onto the roof. I made Sarah sit down until I got Becky down and then I handed Sarah down to her. I jumped down and we went in the stables, until we heard the fire trucks." Derek finished explaining as Frank walked up and hugged him.

"I hear you're the hero. His idea to have sprinklers in the house paid off, they saved most of the house. We can salvage some things when they get done," Frank said, hugging Derek and giving Sarah a kiss. 

"I have everything right here that I want saved," Elaina said hugging the kids.

"We all feel that way Mom," Derek said.  "Dad the persons that did this were driving a black or dark green GMC truck. I saw it driving like hell after we got out."

"Are you sure it was them and not someone else?" Frank asked.

"I heard them take off. They must've watched for a bit after they set it," Derek reported to him.

"We've got to find out who's doing all of this. First Jake and now our house," Elaina said.

"I'm wondering who'll be next?" Sab stood with her arm around Becky.

"I'd like to know that, too," Frank said. "Elaina, why don't you take the kids back to the apartment, we'll have to stay there for a while."

"Dad if they knew about this place don't you think they'd know about the apartment too?" Derek asked.

"He's right. We should take them to a hotel and then get them to the Double D to be safe," Elaina said.

"Dad, I don't like us being separated," Derek said.

"We don't like it either but you're going back home as soon as we can arrange it," Frank told him, sternly.

"I'm really scared Mrs. Donovan. I've never been that close to fire before," Becky said to her.

"I know it can be terrifying to be in that situation but you did good in getting to safety." Elaina comforted her. "Sab you want to help me get them settled or do you want to stay with Frank and look around?"

"I'll go with you. What about the horses are they going to be ok with no one out here?"

"I'll make sure they are looked after don't worry," Frank told her. "I'll see you back at the hospital, take your time with them." Frank kissed Sarah and Elaina goodbye.

********

After Elaina and Sab got the kids settled at a hotel they went the hospital to see Jake and to meet up with Frank and Cody. Maria was in with Jake as Sab and Elaina walked in.

"Hi ladies. I'll let you visit him a while I need to go home and change," Maria said.

"What are you going to change into cousin a rat?" Elaina teased her.

"No I think maybe a snake so a can slither around and choke you." Maria played along with her making Jake laugh a little.

"Hey come on I'm not suppose to laugh it hurts," Jake said trying not to laugh.

"Sorry sweetie we have to banter occasionally or our week just isn't complete," Maria told him. "I'll be back in a hour or so. Glad to see you out and about Sabrina." 

"Thanks," Sab said.

After Maria went out Elaina sat in the chair next to Jake's bed and Sab sat on the foot of the bed. "So are you being treated ok here?" Elaina asked.

"Yeah, Mom and Maria are seeing to it that I am," Jake told her.

"I can imagine." Sab giggled.

"How are you Sab, feeling better I hope?" Jake asked.

"I'm doing ok. I decided I wasn't the only one in the world with a problem." Sabrina smiled at Elaina.

"Nope, we all have a big one right now and that is trying to figure out who did this," Elaina said.

"I already told Frank, I don't remember what happened. I saw Mom in the window and then waking up in the hospital," Jake told them.

"We'll question the target and see where he was when it happened," Elaina said.

"How are you going to manage that with out blowing our covers if they haven't been?" Jake wondered.

"I'll use your UC name when I question him," Elaina informed him.

"You're going to handle this alone?" Jake asked.

"We're all taking a part in the investigation. Alex and Monica are back at the nest now going over cases and seeing if anyone has slipped under our radar and out to get you," Elaina explained.

"Who's going to be my bodyguard until Maria gets back?" Jake wondered.

"I can arrange for Heather and Paula to come over if you want?" Elaina teased him.

"Please don't do that, anyone but them," Jake begged.

"I'll do it," Sab volunteered.

"Are you my only choice?" Jake asked.

"What's wrong with me guarding you?" Sabrina asked a bit ticked.

"Nothing. I just didn't think you'd want to do it with how you feel about Maria."

"I'm not guarding Maria. I'm guarding you until she gets back. I think I can handle that," Sab told him.

"Well, if you two are through discussing your safety I think I'll leave and take my husband out to eat."

"You wouldn't want to bring me back something would you?" Jake asked.

"Sorry, you have to eat hospital chow for a while until you heal up some." Elaina laughed.

"Since when are you a mind reader? I could've wanted something else."

"Since I ate the food here." Elaina smiled and went out the door. She went to the waiting room and found Frank asleep in one of the chairs. She walked over to Cody and Allison. "How long has he been out?"

"Since you went in to see Jake he was out like a light," Allison told her.

"I'll let him sleep. I have something to do, I'll be back in a bit to take him out of here," Elaina told them.

"Where are you going, in case he asks?" Cody wondered.

"I'm going to go ask Mr. Taggart where he was last night when Jake was shot."

"Don't you think you should take someone with you?" Cody asked.

"Are you volunteering?" Elaina wondered.

"Have you ever known me to volunteer?" Cody jeered.

"No, I guess not. I'll be fine. It's just a simple interview and I can handle it on my own," Elaina told him.

"Call when you get there and when you leave so we know you are ok?" Cody suggested.

"Gee Cody, you act like you really care about me."

"I just know if anything happens to you and he knows that I could've gone with you he'll kill me," Cody said looking over at Frank.

"I can see your point. Ok I will call you the minute I get there." Elaina left to go to the interview.

*******

Jake had been dosing off and on while Sab was sitting in the room with him. "Sab could you go get Mom I want to talk to her?" 

"I'm not supposed to leave you alone remember? But I'll see if the nurse will." Sab stepped out the door to the nurse's station across the hall. When she came back in Jake was trying to move. "Hey stop that! You can't be moving around, you'll pull your stitches out," Sab reprimanded him.

"I want to sit up?" Jake asked.

"You still shouldn't be trying that, so stop," Sab said as Allison came in.

"What are you doing? You know better than that. The doctor said you'd need help to move for a while, until the swelling goes down," Allison told him.

"I'm not going to wait on a nurse every time I want to sit up. I need to learn to do it on my own," Jake snapped at her.

"They will show you but it hasn't been that long since your surgery so stop moving before you open the incision," Allison said, forcing him to lie back down.

"You wanted to talk to your mom, so I'll leave now. I'll be right outside," Sab told them walking out.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Are they sure that the paralysis is only temporary? I will be able to go back to work won't I?"

"Of course you will, the bullet didn't damage your spinal cord, it just cause the tissue in the area to swell. That's putting pressure on the cord to cause the paralysis. You have nothing to worry about you'll be fine as soon as it goes down." 

"You wouldn't lie to me to protect my feeling would you?" Jake was worried she was hiding something.

"No! I'd never keep something that serious from you," Allison promised him.

"I'm so glad you moved here to be closer to me. I don't know what I would've done, if I didn't have you here."

"I'm glad I moved too. We have really become close over the past few months. I never thought we would be this close." Allison said with tears in her eyes.

"Don't go crying, Mom. I never doubted that we would become close. We are too much alike." Jake took her hand and held it tight.

"Too much a like, I never realized that but I do like the sound of that," Allison said, smiling.

*********

Elaina made her phone call to Cody as she promised. Elaina walked into the small jewelry shop looking around while Taggart was with another customer. The team was investigating him because he had been suspected of trading fine gems for money to be sent overseas to terrorist organizations. The customer left and Elaina went over to talk to him.

"May I help you find something Madame?" Taggart said.

"Are you Jerome Taggart, the owner?" Elaina asked.

"Yes I am."

"I'm Special Agent Elaina Blakely, I would like to ask you about a customer of yours. Antonio Montega." Elaina showed him her badge and ID.

"I pride myself in keeping all transactions confidential for the privacy of my customers."

"I understand that but this customer was shot last night and we would like to know where you were last night between 2 and 3am," Elaina said, getting straight to the point.

"Just because I sell jewelry to a person, doesn't mean I have a reason to be involved in a shooting."

"We're questioning everyone he's in contact with even his barber and dog groomer." Elaina said to him hoping to avoid causing him to be suspicious.

"Why if the FBI investigating this shooting?" Taggart asked.

"Anthony Montega and his lady friend, Elise Ahman, have been under investigation for a few weeks now. We have photos of Mr. Montega coming to your shop."

"I am a very reputable dealer in fine jewelry. I'd never do anything illegal. I assure you."

"Well you may be but Mr. Montega isn't reputable in his activities."

"He bought a necklace for his lady friend and then returned to my shop when the clasp broke on it. That's the only contact I've had with Mr. Montega," Taggart said as another customer came in.

"You haven't answered my question? Do that and I'll leave you to your customers."

"I was with someone. I'd rather not bring into this," Taggart said, quietly.

"You either tell me who it was or you'll be arrested, for impeding a federal investigation until you give me the information I need," Elaina told him.

"That won't be necessary. I'll give you the information but will you please be discrete the lady is married."

"Imagine that, isn't that a wedding ring on your finger Mr. Taggart?" Elaina said, looking at his hand.

Taggart wrote down the name and address of the woman and gave it to Elaina. "Here you go, Agent Blakely. May I ask, is Mr. Montega going to be alright?"

"Yes, his chances are very good. Thank you. We'll be in touch, especially, if this alibi is false." Elaina went out to the car and called Cody to tell him the name so he could run a check on her. When she had given him the info he put Frank on the phone. 

"Why did you do this alone? I told you, I'd go there with you." Frank wondered.

"You needed to rest so I went and I did it all by my lonesome. I know how to question people, Frank. I don't need someone with me," Elaina said getting defensive.

"I know but we don't know exactly what's happening around here. Jake being shot and our house burning all in the same day it's suspicious to say the least."

"I see your point. How about I pick you up and take you to eat like I was, before I saw you sleeping?"

"Best offer I've had today. I'll be waiting for you." Frank hung up and gave Cody his phone back.

*******

 _"Hey Becky where are you going in such a hurry?" a young man asked her. She turned to see who it was._

_"Oh. Hi Todd. I'm really late meeting Derek for lunch." Becky told him as he walked up to her._

_"Are you two still dating? I wish you would dump him for just a day. I could show you a much better time than he ever could. We would be really good together." Todd gave her a devilish smile._

_"I'm really late. So good bye Todd." Becky went to walk past him but he grabbed her arm._

_"Why won't you go out with me just once? I'm sure Derek wouldn't mind." Todd said coyly._

_"Todd please let go of me. I have to go, leave me alone." Becky pulled free temporarily. He turned her around and kissed her._

_Derek saw what was happening and ran over from the café to help her. "Let her go Todd, she wants nothing to do with you."_

_"This is between Becky and me Donovan, get away from us." Todd still had hold of Becky._

_"I said let her go." Derek slammed his fist into Todd's nose._

_Todd let go of Becky and she ran away from him. "Derek, come on. Don't fight anymore." Becky called to him._

_"I'm not going to". Derek told her. "Stay away from both of us." Derek said as he turned and walked to the café with Becky._

_"I'll get you both for this. I'm not through with you yet Donovan." Todd shouted as they walked off._

************

Derek was sleeping next to Becky as they sit on the couch. Becky was thinking of what had happened a few days before. Derek had yet to say anything to his parents about it and Becky thought they should know. She heard the door open as Elaina and Frank came in. She quietly got up, trying not to wake Derek.

"Hi. How's Jake doing?" Becky asked walking over to them.

"He's doing fine. I see my son is keeping himself occupied," Elaina reported.

"He fell asleep watching a movie. Sarah is in the bedroom. I checked on her a while ago, she was ok."

"You look like you could've used a nap yourself," Frank observed.

"I need to tell you something that Derek doesn't think is very important but I do."

"What is it? You seem to be upset about it?" Elaina said.

"Derek was in a fight the other day and the other person threatened us."

"Who was it, he fought with?" Frank asked.

"It was Todd Brannigan. You might remember him from this past spring when he and Derek got in a yelling match at the baseball diamond and they were both thrown out of the game," Becky reminded them.

"I remember him,." Frank said. "I told Derek then to walk away if he ever taunted him again."

"He has been walking away, but this time Todd was being physical with me and Derek was just helping me."

"Just how far did it escalate this time?" Elaina asked.

"Derek punched him in the nose so he would let go of me," Becky told them. "Then as we were walking away he said he wasn't through with us."

Elaina walked over and woke up Derek up taking his feet off the coffee table. "We need to talk young man."

"What? What did I do now?" Derek asked a little confused.

"Becky told us you were in a fight and that you didn't see the need to tell us," Elaina said.

"I handled it there was nothing to tell you." Derek got up off the couch.

"The boy threatened the two of you. You should have told us about that." Elaina scolded him, following him to the kitchen.

"Mom, I didn't take him seriously. He's all blow and no show," Derek insisted.

"Derek, I don't care if you think he was serious or not. Any time you're threatened, we want to know about it," Elaina stressed to him. 

"I'll have him checked out and see if he has a police record. It could be as Derek said, just him blowing his mouth off," Frank said. "Your Mom is right though, we want to know when you're threatened. You can never be too sure when that sort of thing happens now."

"I understand. I promise to tell you if it happens again."

"Make sure you do," Frank told him. "Both of you get ready. We're going over to the apartment and pick up some clothes for you two and Sarah, and then we're going to get you three on the plane to the Double D."

"I don't have any clothes there. All of mine were at the ranch," Becky said with sadness in her voice.

"We'll get you some things, don't worry. I have some things stored there that should fit you." Elaina put her arm around her to comfort her.

"We can't go to the Double D," Derek told them.

"Why the hell not?" Frank asked.

"We have a job. We can't just up and leave." Derek saw that they were surprised.

"So that's where you've been going. You told me you were volunteering at the homeless shelter."

"I was, until I got the job. I still do when I have time," Derek told her.

"Why did you keep the job a secret?" Frank asked.

"I wanted to surprise you when I got my first paycheck. Which will be tomorrow, so you would've found out then."

"I'm happy you have a job but I want you, Sarah and Becky to be safe until we sort out what's going on," Elaina told him.

"Can't we just stay here with a bodyguard? I really don't want to lose this job."

Frank sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He looked at Elaina, who was feeling just as he was. "Well, what do you want to do about this?" Frank asked her.

"Where is this job you have?" Elaina asked.

"Maria hired our band to sing twice a week. Since she's been working with you, she doesn't have the time to sing as often," Derek explained.

"Alright the Songbird seems safe enough but I'll see to it, that you have someone watching you at all times. You'll go no where without the body guard got that?" Elaina stressed to him.

"Yes Mom I know to stay close to the guards you give me." 

 "Do you think it's safe to go to the apartment now?" Becky asked.

"We have the apartment being watched. It will be safe enough, just to pick up our clothes. We'll stay here for a few days," Frank told them.

Elaina went in to get Sarah, when she came back Sarah was rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Daddy. Me hungry," Sarah said, reaching over to hug Frank.

"I think we're going to take care of that. We're going to go eat at the Songbird, how's that?" Frank asked her.

"Ok." Sarah laid her head on his shoulder and fell asleep again.

"She's had a rough day being in different surroundings and the trauma of the fire," Elaina said, rubbing Sarah's back. "Let's go. I'm hungry too."


	3. Protecting Jake

CHAPTER 3 

The next day most of the team met back at the nest. Cody and Sab were both there. Alex was reading some files as Frank and Elaina come in with Maria. Monica was taking her turn at guarding Jake.

"Alex you did go home last night, didn't you?" Frank asked walking over to her.

"Yeah I just got here a few minutes ago. Hey Maria," Alex said greeting them.

Sab looked up at the mention of Maria's name. "Elaina, are we going to be working with her?"

"If I say yes, do you have a problem with that?"

"You know I do." Sab stared at Maria.

"Get over it," Elaina told her. "Maria is going to be here off and on. Frank and I have business to take care of about the fire, so she'll be helping in the investigation."

"I'm not cleared yet to come back to work. I was just helping, so I think I'll just go back home," Sab said, picking up her things.

"Be childish, I really don't care. You told me you could handle working with her professionally, I guess you lied."

"I didn't lie, I changed my mind. I do have that right," Sab insisted.

"I'm tired of all the crap you two go through to avoid one another. Maria has tried to be civil but you just ignore her. If you're leaving get out of here, **now**!" Elaina told her.

"Fine, I will. I'll see you at home, Cody." Sab walked out the door.

"You're running off our help. That isn't very smart," Maria said.

"I'm running out of patience, so don't start smarting off, Maria." Elaina went to sit down with Alex.

"Elaina what's eating you? I've never seen you treat Sabrina like that, Maria yes but not Sab, unless it was staged."

"It has been months, since what took place between them. I think it's time Sab gets over it. She has Cody now and knows the whole truth of what happened. I'll not keep putting up with her ignoring or not wanting to be around her," Elaina said as Cody got her attention.

"Here's the information on the mistress you wanted. Monica talked to her and feels that they're telling the truth. There was a nosy neighbor and he confirmed that they were together last night but he wasn't sure what time it was," Cody told them.

"Ok do we have anything from our files?" Frank asked.

"Not that I can find. The people we've taken down are pretty quiet from our prison sources," Alex said.

"Jake has no idea either. We talked about the some of the cases he worked but we couldn't think of anyone specific," Maria reported.

"I want everyone to be especially careful when you're out, be aware of your surroundings. We don't know who this person or persons are after," Elaina said as she went to the door. "Get in here."  Elaina pulled Sab back in the building.

"How did you know I was out there?" Sabrina wondered.

"We have security cameras, remember. Cody showed me you were still there. Question is why?"

"I realized I didn't have my keys and I was hoping Maria would leave, so I could come back in to get them."

"Sabrina, sit down. Like Elaina, I'm getting tired of your attitude. You better learn to get along with Maria. We need all the help we can get on this investigation. Maria is a good agent, so are you. I want the personal feelings set aside and for you two to work together on this," Frank told her.

"Elaina said I'd probably never have to work with her and now you're going to force me to. I don't think so." Sab went to get back up.

"Sit down, Sabrina!" Frank ordered her. "Elaina isn't in charge I am. If you're going to be back here helping you'll be working with Maria or whoever else I say. If not leave and don't come back."

"Are you firing me?" Sab asked, starting to get angrier.

"It can be that." Frank crossed his arms in front of himself and stared at her.

"You're going to let him do that?" Sab turned to Elaina.

"You can either quit, be fired or be transferred. Or you can be here working trying to find out who shot Jake, with Maria. Which option do you take?"

"I want to be transferred. I'm not going to be forced into working with someone I despise." Sab surprised everyone with her answer.

"What?!" Cody was the most surprised. "You do realize what you're saying we'll know longer be working together."

"I realize that. We'll talk about this when you come home tonight," Sab said, leaving.

"Agent Kells, I'll have your transfer ready for you when your sick leave is up. Until then you'll no longer come here unless asked by a superior. Are you clear on that?"

"Perfectly clear, Agent Blakely." Sab turned and went out the door. "I never thought I'd do that, but I have to admit I feel better," Sab said to herself as she got in the Jeep.

Back inside all hell was breaking lose with Cody and Maria. "This is all your fault. Why can't you just stay away from us. You know how much Sab hates to be around you but you seem to be everywhere. Do me a favor and stay the hell away from me."

"Agent Forrester, that's enough out of you. Do you realize you're speaking to a superior? Maria is my co-director and she'll be treated with respect," Elaina told him.

"I'm leaving before you have a full fledge mutiny on your hands," Maria said, starting to leave.

"You aren't going anywhere. All of you listen and hear my words. I don't give a damn how you feel personally about a team member. You're all hired to do a job, if you can't do the job without personality conflicts, then find another one. I'll not stand for any more scenes like the ones we just had. Do you understand me?" Frank was livid at their behavior.

They all said they agreed, and went back to looking over files. "Now, Elaina and I have to leave. Maria is in charge until we get back. Try to accomplish something while we're gone," Frank said as he and Elaina went to the door.

"We certainly had a surprising morning," Elaina said as they drove off.

"I'd never have guessed Sabrina would to want transfer," Frank replied.

"I guess her losing the baby has changed her way of thinking about things," Elaina said as she watched the scenery.

"What did the two of you talk about yesterday that got her to come out of her depression?"

"Nothing specific we just talked about how I felt when I couldn't have anymore children and a few other topics. Nothing life changing to me."

"It must have been for her. Maybe you should have another heart to heart talk with her."

"Frank, we talked yesterday and today she wants a transfer. I get the feeling, if I talk to her anymore she'll want to change careers."

"You don't seem to be having a good week now, are you?"

"Well, let me think," Elaina said thinking. "No, I'm not having a good year."

"My Lady, we've all been through a lot. And still going through more," Frank said as they arrived at the ranch.

"When is Mr. Brannigan supposed to come by?" Elaina asked as they got out.

"He should be here in a few minutes. Where do you want to start looking through things?" Frank asked getting bags out of the trunk.

"See if there is anything in the living room we can save first, I guess," Elaina said, looking at the remains. "You know, I think we should have a bigger house when we rebuild."

"Why don't we just rebuild one to look like the Double D?"

"I like that idea. I'd make a few adjustments though."

"Like what?"

"I want a porch that goes all away around the house, and I'd make the kitchen a little bigger. I want our bedroom to face the east, so we can watch the sunrise and…."

"Lady, slow down. Why do I have the feeling you already have the plans drawn for the new house?"

"Damn, you're psychic. I've always played around with the idea of remodeling the Double D. Now I can just use the ideas here instead." Elaina smiled at him. 

"I guess you'll have to show me these plans. I do get to have a little say about what gets changed."

"A little bit of course." Elaina laughed as a dark green truck pulled into the driveway. "Frank could that be the truck Derek saw?"

"Seems like we have one piece of our puzzle. I'm betting the only reason he didn't have a record, is that he has never been caught at doing anything, not that he doesn't do them," Frank said as he watched the man come from the truck.

"Mr. and Mrs. Donovan. I'm Mickey Brannigan," the man introduced himself, shaking Frank's hand.

"Thank you for coming here. We have a lot of work and have to schedule our meetings when we can," Elaina explained.

"I understand totally. You wanted to talk to me about my boy Todd. You said he's been harassing your son and his girlfriend."

"Yes, I guess you noticed that your son had been hurt recently in a fight. My son punched him when he was holding Becky against her will," Frank told him.

"He told me hurt it skateboarding with his buddies. I had no idea he had been in a fight with your son."

"Your son has been antagonizing our son for a long time now. We've told Derek to walk away but this time he found it necessary to use force. I think that has caused things to escalate between them," Elaina said.

"What do you mean by escalate? Do you know of something else he may've done?" Mickey asked.

"Does your son drive that truck?" Frank inquired.

"Yes, he does. It's his truck I borrowed it. I'm a freight hauler for a living; I just borrow his truck when I'm home. What does that have to do with anything?" Mickey wondered.

"Derek saw that truck or one exactly like it drive away from the fire we had hear yesterday," Frank told him.

"Are you saying that Todd started this fire? I don't believe that. Your son must've been mistaken."

"We'll find out soon enough. The fire marshal found part of the bottle used to start the fire and he's checking the prints on it," Frank replied.

"If my son had anything to do with this, I'll be the first one to apologize to you," Mr. Brannigan said.

"We don't want your apologies. It's your son that has to pay for this, if he did it. We **will** press charges," Elaina told him.

"I'll talk to him, if admits that he did it before you get the fire marshal's report, I'll personally see to it he turns himself in."

"With all due respect, I really don't see him confessing. If he never told you he was in a fight last week." Elaina said.

"I'll find out some way Mrs. Donovan. Was anyone hurt in the fire?" Mickey asked.

"No. Thankfully, my son got his baby sister and Becky out with out injury," Frank replied.

"You said baby, how old is she?"

"She is 2. If they had not gotten out of that fire, I assure you I would not be this kind and considerate Mr. Brannigan." Elaina stressed to him.

"I don't believe you have the right to be this kind and considerate now, either but I thank you for being so. I'll be in touch with you after I talk to my son," Mr. Brannigan said.

"Thank you again for coming here and talking to us," Frank said walking him to the truck.

Frank walked back in to help Elaina go through the house. "Do you think Todd will tell his father the truth?" Elaina asked.

"I hope so but I'm not holding my breath." Frank bent down to pick up a charred book. "Here's one of the photo albums."

"Toss it I don't want to see it. We have copies of all the pictures at the apartment and the Double D."

"Are you sure some of these could be saved," Frank said, looking through it.  
  
Elaina walked over and took it from him and threw it in the rubble. "I said throw it away." Elaina was very angry.

"Why don't you go see the horses and I'll do this alone for a while? When you calm down you can come back and help."

"This is as calm as I'll be for the next few days so live with it," Elaina said picking up a set of candleholders. "Mom gave these to us after our first wedding."

Frank walked over to look at them. "I guess now you can say they were destroyed in the fire you never did care for them." Frank laughed.

Elaina started to laugh with him. "So far that's the only bright spot to this whole mess. Ok if we make little comments like that I think I can make it through this."

"If you want to take your mind off of what we're doing I can give you something to think about."

"What now? I don't like the way you said that."

"Did you know that Derek took the entrance exam for FBI training?"

"He what?" Elaina looked at his in disbelief. "When and how do you know? Did you give him permission behind my back?"

"No I wouldn't do that; he took it but just to see if he'd pass it. As to the guilty party you should ask Maria."

"She seems to be getting involved in our sons life more and more."

"He asked her to get the questions for him. He knows that he may not pass it when the time actually comes."

"There's another bright spot in my day. I guess we should talk to him about this."

"That's what I told him but we haven't had time to do it the past few days."

"Why don't we make a special effort to talk to him tonight?"

"Only if you work more here and talk less," Frank teased her. She picked up something and threw it at him.

********

Back at the hospital Alex was telling Jake and Monica about what took place at the nest that morning, as she was getting ready to relieve Monica as guard.

"You left Cody and Maria alone after that happened? That place may not be the same when I get back," Monica said. 

"When I left, Maria was up in the office and Cody was at the computers. Cody promised to stay away from her," Alex replied.

"Nothing or no one to stop them from fighting, I'm with Monica I think there may be trouble."

"You don't seem to worried that Maria would try what she did a few months ago," Monica said to Jake.

"She'd never do that. She promised me she never would. She really regrets doing it in the first place," Jake told them, trusting Maria.

"She's a good liar, how can you be so sure that she wouldn't?" Alex asked.

"Because unlike most of you, I trust and believe she has changed," Jake said, getting a little angry.

"Ok, let's change the subject, all we're doing is speculating on her from her past actions. We shouldn't be doing that. Sorry, Jake." Alex apologized. "Where's your Mom at?"

"She went back to work. I told her she should be helping other people than sitting with me all the time watching me sleep."

"She was just being a typical mother, Jake. She's really worried about you," Monica stated.

"I know but she really needed to go back to work to get her mind off me for a little while."

"Speaking of work, I better go check on Cody and Maria. See if they have any idea as to who did this." Monica said, getting her things together.

"Donovan and Blakely, wants us to be very careful when we are alone, they wants us to know our surroundings and alert to others around us."

"I'll be careful. Take care, Jake I'll be back tomorrow," Monica said, before leaving.

"See ya then, Monica," Jake said as she left. "I'm going to take a nap, you can watch me sleep for a while."

"Go ahead. I brought a book to read," Alex said, digging in her bag for the book.

********

Cody went home to talk to Sab about what happened this morning. Sab was sitting watching music videos with Koby curled up beside her with his head in her lap. Cody went over and sat on the arm of the couch with them.

"How's your day been? Cody asked, trying to make conversation.

"Fine, thanks. How was yours?" Sab said, not looking at him.

Cody just stared at her for a moment. "You want to know how my day went? Let me tell you it was the most miserable day I have had in a few weeks." Cody started ranting, "You say you want transferred. Then I find out that Maria is left in charge of the team, while Frank is off doing whatever. Then you're going to love this, Alex leaves and Maria and I, are there alone, together. Would you like to know any more?"

Sab turned to look at him. "You look tired. Would you like for me to cook tonight?"

Cody stared at her stunned. "Have you been listening to a word I said?" He had not noticed that she had the sound off of the TV.

"Not really I'm listening to a CD while I watch the video, its sounds better on the CD than the TV speakers," Sab said, taking off the headset that her hair had been covering. "What exactly did you say?"

"I said that I was left alone with Maria today," Cody repeated to her.

"What did you talk about, old times?" Sab asked, laying the CD player and headset down on the table.

"I'm calling Allison you need more help than ever," Cody said, grabbing the phone.

"You don't have to call her, Cody. I'm fine. I'm just trying my anger management techniques. I made a promise to Elaina that I'd control my anger so, I have been trying the different techniques all day."

"So you're saying what? Deep down you want to choke the crap out of Maria but because of a pact you made with Elaina, you're just going to ignore what I told you about her?"

"No! What I'm saying is that, I realized after I said I wanted the transfer that you'd still be around her. I got mad as hell at myself, at Elaina, Frank and Maria. I want to pick up the phone and scream in it at each of them. I want to pick things up and throw them," Sab said, picking up a glass and throwing it. "I want things back to the way they were. I want it to be the morning of my wedding and I don't want Bea to be missing and I want my baby back," Sab started to cry. 

Cody didn't know what to do. He gently put his arms around her.  When she didn't fight him he held her tighter and closer to him. "I love you Angel. I wish I could give you that day back, but I can't. All I can do is tell you that I love you and need you. I want to help you in anyway I can, even if it's to just sit in silence with you or to hold you. I want you to tell me what you need me to do."

"You're doing it. I need your arms around me. I need you to tell me, you still want me as your wife, and that you forgive me for losing our baby."

"I do love you and want you as my wife. But I can't forgive you for something you didn't do."

"What do you mean? I did lose the baby," Sab said, slightly confused by what he said.

"It wasn't your fault. I don't want you blaming yourself for that. You and I will have children, as many as you want." Cody kissed her. "I wish you'd had let me do this before," he said still holding her. "I think it would've helped you."

"That's what Elaina told me. She said I needed your arms around me. I'm glad they are now. So what did you and Maria talk about while you where alone?"

"We didn't say a word to each other. She stayed in the office the whole time, until Monica showed up."

"Am I being wrong, about my feelings for her?" Sab wondered.

"You be how you want to be no one can tell you what to feel, if they've never had it happen to them," Cody told her.

******************

_"I just know that I didn't want Elaina going through what I went through," Sab said, in a sorry tone._

_"Too late Sabrina, been there, done that," Elaina got a furious look from Frank with her saying that._

_"What do you mean?" Sab asked, in confusion._

_"Nothing, forget I said anything," Elaina told her._

******************

Sab remembered something Elaina had told her once. "Cody, Elaina does know what I've been through, with Maria. I just remembered her talking about it briefly when she was in the hospital. She mentioned it again at the wedding. __

"You think Maria tried to break her and Frank up?"

"I don't think it was Maria but there was someone, she promised Frank never to mention it."

"Interesting. Maybe you should talk to her, see if she'd explain how she forgave Frank and whoever it was, if she did forgive her. We know she forgave Frank or they wouldn't be married now."

"How could she forgive the woman? I know her love for Frank, let her forgive him the same as I did with you."

"All I know is that, she seems to think you should be over what happened," Cody said.

"Have you forgiven Maria for what happened?" Sab asked.

"Not totally, but I could at least hold a conversation with her if I had to. That is until today, when I blew up at her after you left. I blamed her for you wanting the transfer."

"I don't know if I really want the transfer or not. I really felt relieved to have said it though, so maybe I should transfer and work with other people. If I don't like it I can always try to come back."

"I don't think that'll be too easy," Cody said. I'll miss having you working beside me. You know, I've gotten very used to you being there."

"I'll miss you too but just think of how much we'll enjoy seeing each other when we come home to one another." Sab smiled at him.

"If, we're home at the same time. You maybe transferred away from here, ever thought of that?"

"I don't think Elaina would do that. I know she was mad at me today but I don't think she'd move me away from you."

"I think you need to talk to her," Cody said, seriously.

"I will. I promise," Sab said, giving him a kiss.

********

Maria went to see Jake after spending most of the day keeping away from Cody and reading endless files. They had yet to come up with a suspect in Jake's shooting. When Maria arrived Alex was sitting outside Jake's room.

"Hi, Alex. Is the doctor in with Jake?" Maria asked.

"No. Sonny Walker is visiting him. I'm just giving them some privacy," Alex said, closing the book she was reading.

"Well, I'll take over, you can go home and get some rest," Maria told her, opening the door to Jake's room.

"Changing the guard, Jake," Alex said, going in with Maria. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok, I'm not going anywhere." Jake grinned at her. Alex waved at Sonny and Maria as she left.

"Hello, Sonny," Maria greeted him. 

"Hi, Maria, you're looking better than when we met," Sonny said thinking back to going to the hospital to see her and Jake, after her brain surgery.

"I'm much better thank you. Jake did you meet the therapist today?" Maria wondered.

"Yeah! Billy is going to do it. He worked with my legs for a few minutes today. Do you have a suspect yet?" Jake asked, hopefully.

"No and I'm starting to get frustrated. You'd think that they'd try again. It shouldn't be that hard to find out that you lived through it. None of our sources in prison or on the street have heard anything."

"I'd think shooting me would be talked about in prison, at least. Not to sound conceited or anything but I have put a lot of people in there."

"You kid, ever sound conceited never," Sonny chuckled.

"Well, it does sound a little conceited but I did think the same thing," Maria said.

"I hate to say it but this maybe one of your unsolved cases," Sonny told them.

"Please, don't let that be true. I'd hate for Jake to have to look over his shoulder the rest of his life," Maria said as she held Jake's hand.

They heard an explosion from outside. "What the hell was that?" Jake asked, wishing he could look for himself.

"Nothing out this direction. I'll go find out. Maria stay close to him," Sonny said to Maria as he left the room.

Sonny went out and saw the fire glow out the window of the room across the hall. He took the elevator down to the main floor. It was bustling with activity. Sonny saw Alex sitting with a nurse and orderly.

"Alex, what happened?" Sonny said, going over to her.

"I hit the remote start for my car and it blew up," Alex said, gesturing with her hands.

"Are you ok?" Sonny asked, very concerned.

"I'm rattled but not hurt. Looks like I was next on the list of the maniac doing all this."

"I'll sit here with you until you calm down, then we will go tell Maria and Jake what happened," Sonny told her.

"We can go now. I'm sure they're curious as to what happened," Alex said, getting up a little unsteady.

"Sure about that?" Sonny asked, taking her by the arm to steady her.

"I'm sure let's go," Alex told him.


	4. Trouble For Elaina

CHAPTER 4 

Frank and Elaina returned to the hotel after spending the day at the ranch. They heard laughter coming from the main room as they walked in. Sarah giggled and squealed as she did when she was excited. They looked to see her and Becky on top of Derek, tickling him.

"What is going on in here?" Frank asked, over the laughter.

"Daddy, Momma, home," Sarah squealed. She got off Derek and ran over to them. "I tickled, Bubby."

"So we heard. So what did he do to deserve that?" Elaina looked at Becky as she signed for Sarah.

"He tickled her, so I told her I'd help her get him back," Becky explained. "Why do you still sign to Sarah?" Becky asked Elaina.

"Mostly out of habit and it's good for her to keep it up, even when her grandfather isn't here," Elaina explained, kneeling down in front of Sarah.

"Oh. I thought maybe she had a hearing problem that I didn't know about."

"We wouldn't keep that from you, she loves to sign to people so we do the same for her," Elaina said.

"Well, we need to get showers and take you guys out to eat," Frank said.

"We have to work tonight. We'll eat when we get there," Derek told them.

"Ok, you can do that. We'll take care of Sarah tonight. How about we call room service and stay in tonight? You like that idea, Sarah?" Elaina asked her.

"Okie. Gonna get Momma," Sarah said, starting to tickle Elaina. 

"Hey, watch it you, I'm gonna get you back," Elaina said, tickling her as they sat in the floor together.

"Since she has you occupied, I get the shower first," Frank said, going in the bedroom.

"Well, that wasn't nice. Did you and Daddy plan that?" Elaina asked, holding her from tickling her anymore.

"No," Sarah answered.  "Love you Momma." Sarah hugged her as the phone rang.

Derek answered it as Elaina got up with Sarah. "Mom, it's Maria. She says it's urgent," Derek said, calling her to the phone.

"What's up Maria?" Elaina asked and then listened to what Maria had to tell her. "We'll be there as soon as we can." Elaina hung up. "You two may have to take Sarah with you tonight, I'll explain when I get out."

Elaina went in the bedroom and locked the door. She started to undress as she made her way to the bathroom. Frank was already in the shower when she got in with him.

"Hey, this is a pleasant surprise. I would've waited if I had known you were going to join me," Frank said moving to give her room.

"Sorry Babe, this is for convenience only. We need to get to the hospital ASAP."

"Something happen with Jake?" Frank asked as she handed him the shampoo to wash her hair.

"No, everyone is ok. Alex's car blew up in the parking lot. She has auto start on it, she hit it and it blew. She was shaken up but not hurt."

"I'm glad she got that option with her car," Frank said.

"I'm sure she's grateful, too," Elaina said, rinsing her hair.

They finished with their shower and quickly got dressed. While Elaina was finishing, getting dressed, Frank went out to talk to Derek.

"We'll pick up Sarah as soon as we can, I know this is a lot to ask you, since you're working but we don't have anyone else to look after her at the moment," Frank told Derek.

"It's ok, Dad. I understand. We'll take good care of her. I'm worried about you and Mom. What if they try to come after you two again?"

"We'll be ok. We watch out for each other," Elaina said, coming out of the bedroom. "I'm ready, if you are."

"Let's go before Sarah notices we're leaving," Frank told her.

**********

Cody and Sab arrived the same time as Frank and Elaina. As they went up in the elevator, Frank and Cody discussed the case as Sab talked to Elaina.

"I need to talk to you about the transfer and a few other things," Sab told her, quietly.

"I told you, the transfer would be ready by the end of the week. We can talk about it and anything else then," Elaina said to her, coldly.

"Are you mad at me yet, because I want the transfer or because of my treatment of Maria?"

"I have more important matters on my mind than your petty argument with Maria," Elaina said as they got off the elevator.

They all went into Jake's room Elaina looked over to Sab sitting down with Cody. She walked over and took Sab outside. "You wait out hear you aren't a member of the team anymore."

"But I am a friend. Why can't I be in there? Sonny is in there," Sab countered.

"We're going to be talking about the case, you stay out here. Sonny will be out here in a minute to keep you company," Elaina told her.

"This isn't fair Elaina, besides I'm not sure I want to go through with the transfer. We really need to talk."

"Not now, in case you didn't notice your favorite person is in there. I won't have a repeat performance of this morning. You'll stay out here," Elaina ordered her and then went back in. "Sonny, will you keep Sabrina, company please?"

"Sure," Sonny told her. He walked out to find Sab pacing back and forth talking to herself quietly.

"Hey! What has you steamed?" Sonny asked.

"Elaina, she refuses to talk to me," Sab snapped.

"I thought you two were best friends?"

"That's what I thought but I guess blood is thicker than friendship," Sab said.

"Why is she mad at you?" Sonny asked. 

"I had a disagreement with her and Frank today about Maria."

"Still feuding with her? I thought all of you settled that?"

"Yes. I promised Elaina that I'd try to be professional around her but I just can't seem to keep that promise. When I look at Maria, I see the conniving bitch that tried to sleep with Cody. I can't see her as anything else."

"So you told Elaina, what, today that has the two of you at odds?"

"I told her I wanted a transfer. I just need to talk to her and I'm sure she'll help me make the right decision. But I need to talk to her as my friend, not as Agent Blakely."

"How do you keep it straight as to which Elaina you are talking to?" Sonny wondered.

"I have ways of knowing. Like right now, she's Agent Blakely. She's being a bit of a bitch and that's when you can tell the most. When she's Elaina my friend she's consoling and says the right thing when I need to hear it."

"The two of you seem to know each other really well," Sonny said, watching Sab pacing again.

Sab stopped pacing to face him. "I don't think I know her well enough though or I'd know why she wants me to forgive Maria."

"Is that what she told you?"

"Not in so many words. But she does want us to get over the past and I just can't seem to do that," Sab said as Elaina came back out of the room.

"You two can come back in now," Elaina told them. "Sabrina, we can talk when we're through here if you want."

"The sooner the better." Sab smiled at her as they walked back in.

"Sonny, we have a proposition for you," Frank said, facing Sonny.

"What would that be?" Sonny inquired.

"We want you to join the team and help us out," Jake told him.

"What kind of drugs do they have you on? You want me to become a Fed?" Sonny thought they were joking.

"Listen Sonny, we need someone here with Jake. Plus we need to work the case and look out for ourselves. We need every person we can get to help with this. Bea and her agents are on another case and they can't help. That means we have to be bodyguards for each other. We really could use your help," Elaina explained.

"Whose idea was this?" Sonny asked Elaina.

"Frank and Jake came up with it. Why?" Elaina wondered.

"Just curious. What about Sabrina? Can't she help?"

"She'll be helping," Elaina said, turning to Sab. "I'm rescinding the order I gave you about not being around HQ. We need your help and besides we don't know if the person is after the whole team or just a select few. We need to watch over you as well as the rest of the team."

"Thank you. I promise to be as professional as I can," Sab told her.

"I can give you a bullet to bite, if you want," Elaina whispered to her.

Sab looked at Elaina and they both giggled. Frank looked over at them. "You two find something amusing about this case?" Frank asked, looking sternly at them.

"No, we're just talking about something else. Sir," Elaina said, smiling.

"Well Sonny. What's your answer? Are you joining us or not?" Frank asked.

"I'll guard Jake for you, I'm not doing anything right now," Sonny said.

"Thanks. We appreciate it," Frank told him. "We better get out of here and let Jake rest. I'll see all of you first thing in the morning."

"Frank. Sab and I need to have a private talk. Can you and Cody go pick up Sarah?" Elaina said as they walked out into the hall.

"What does she want to talk about that can't wait until this is all over?" Frank said, putting his arms around her.

"I don't know. I guess I'll find out when we talk," Elaina said, kissing him. "We'll see you back at the hotel." Elaina walked to the elevator with Sab.

"What are they going to talk about, do you know?" Frank asked Cody.

"Not really sure. Sab is still in need of some answers about something," Cody told him.

"That tells me a lot," Frank said, walking down the hall with Cody.

******* 

"Ok. We're alone and back at the hotel, are you going to actually talk to me now?" Elaina asked having tried to get Sab to talk to her on the way there.

"Well, it's a subject that you may not want to discuss with me," Sab said being mysterious.

"Well that shines a lot of light on the subject. **NOT**! Spit it out. What are you wanting to know?" Elaina asked, a little bugged by her beating around the bush.

"You mentioned a couple of time that you had experienced the same thing as I did with Maria. I was just wondering what you meant exactly," Sab said, coming to the point.

"I meant just that. I have only my situation was far worse than what you saw happen," Elaina told her.

"So, Frank did have an affair, you found out about it, what happened then?"

"Frank didn't have an affair. You're right I don't want to discuss this." Elaina picked up Sarah's toys as they talked.

"Have you forgiven the other woman you saw Frank with?" Sab asked.

"I never said I **saw** Frank with another woman." Elaina sat down on the couch with Sab.

"Then what the hell happened, that was so much like what I went through? Or were you just making that up?"

"Sabrina, I promised Frank I wouldn't talk about it. So please stop with the questions," Elaina begged her.

"How can I believe you, when you won't tell me what happened?" Sab asked. "I just need to know if you forgave the other woman. I think you did and that's why you think I should forgive Maria."

"There's no way I can tell you without telling you what happened," Elaina knew Frank would be mad if she told. 

"I'd never tell another sole," Sab promised. 

"But what about the promise I made to my husband? Do you know what you're asking me to do?"

"Frank doesn't have to find out that you told me."

"Yes he does. I won't keep it from him. He'll be really pissed but I guess I can handle him. You breath one word of this to anyone, I'll personally cut your tongue out and nail it to the wall." Elaina looked her dead in the eyes.

"I promise on mine and Cody's life," Sab vowed.

"When I was having my cancer treatments, Frank was with me day in and day out, taking care of me and the kids," Elaina started explaining. "Reese and Miranda came by to see us and Reese said that Frank needed to get out for one night, at least. Miranda stayed with me, Reese took him out to a bar. Frank and Reese both got really drunk, so drunk, that they called Hank to drive them home." Elaina got up and paced as she talked.

"I'm surprised he left you to go out," Sab said.

"We all talked him into it. He really didn't want to go. Anyway, Reese took Frank to the Safe room so he wouldn't wake me up. They were talking loud and Miranda went down to tell them to be quiet." Elaina was becoming agitated but she continued. "I had arrested Miranda and her boyfriend a few months prior to her visit. She was still angry with me."

"Wait, are you saying what I think? Miranda and Frank?" Sab asked, surprised.

"Yes, she did it to have revenge on me. Turned out not to work the way she thought."

"Frank never knew it was her, he was so drunk he thought it was me he was making love to."

"I don't understand," Sab told her.

"Miranda told me that Frank called her by my name."

"That was a lie, wasn't it? You told me that Frank rarely called you Elaina, unless someone was around."

"Rarely, does not mean never. There are times when we're intimate that he calls me, Elaina."

"So you believe that he didn't know it wasn't you?" Sab asked.

"Yes, because I know him that well. He cannot lie to me, when I look him directly in the eyes. He may have been successful in hiding what happened but he can't lie about it."

"How long did he hide it from you?" Sab wondered.

"Remember when the team was asked not to come by the ranch last year?" Elaina asked.

"That's when you found out?" 

"Ok. Now you know. Does this help you in any way?"

"Not until you tell me how you can forgive Miranda for doing that," Sab said to her.

"I haven't forgiven that specific act. We never discuss it. We all know it happened and we've dealt with it. I love my sister and I need her in my life, that's why we're back as family and friends."

"And you think since you're back with Miranda, I should make up with Maria?"

Elaina sighed deeply sitting back down beside Sab. "I just know that Frank and Miranda, went a hell of a lot further than Cody and Maria. If I can make amends with Miranda, you should be able to get past what happened with Maria knowing nothing happened between them."

"I guess I need to think about it. I do see your point. I'll try to be kinder to Maria, as a start."

"That would be a good start. Just remember you can't tell a sole, what I told you, not even Cody."

"I'll keep my word. No one will find out from me," Sab promised as Frank came in with Sarah and Cody.

"Sabeana!" Sarah ran over and hugged her.

"Hello, Sarah. It's been a while since I've seen you. Have you been a good girl?" Sab asked, also signing to her.

"Yep. Daddy say I am," Sarah told her.

"Well, if he says it, you must be. Daddy doesn't lie," Elaina said to her.

"Sab, are you ready to go?" Cody asked.

"Sure, we're done with our girl talk. Thanks for answering my questions." Sab got up and walked over to Cody.

"You don't have to rush off, stay and talk awhile," Elaina suggested.

"I'm really beat from all the research I've done today. Maybe some other time," Cody said, then opened the door to leave.

"Bye. Sarah. See ya soon," Sab said, going out the door as Sarah waved to her.

"Lady, are you ready to eat?" Frank said, putting the food out on the table.

"Sure, has Sarah eaten yet?" Elaina asked walking over.

"Yeah, she ate with Derek and Becky. They fed her if your wondering why she's so clean."

"I was wondering, you becoming a mind reader?" Elaina wondered.

"No, you just glanced at her and I knew you'd mention it."

"So I'm getting predictable. I better change my habits a little." Elaina smiled sitting down at the small table. "This is cozy. We have to sit close to one another," Elaina said, putting her legs around his under the table.

"I like cozy," Frank said as Sarah climb in Elaina's lap.

"What are you doing up here? Daddy said you've already ate."

"Milk please," Sarah said, looking at her Mom.

"I'll call room service," Frank said getting up.

"Good, my lap is full." Elaina gave Sarah a hug and kiss, then started eating.

"Be here in a few minutes," Frank said, sitting back down to eat. "I ordered some wine for us, so eat slow."

"You can, I'm starving," Elaina told him, giving Sarah a green bean she was reaching for.

"So what did you and Sabrina talk about?"

"I'll tell you later," Elaina said, evading the subject. There was a knock on the door; it was room service bringing their drinks. The phone rang and Elaina put Sarah down to go answer it. "Hello.  This is Mrs. Donovan." Elaina listened to the person at the other end. "Thank you for the report." Elaina hung up and went to sit back down.

"Who was that?" Frank asked, helping Sarah hold her glass of milk.

"The fire marshal. He said they have prints and they match Todd Brannigan."

"How did they get his prints?" 

"Seems he was printed as a child in a school safety program and they were on file at the police department."

"Well that's one less worry. We know the person hasn't made an attempt on us."

"But they still could," Elaina said.

*********

After they ate Elaina put Sarah to bed and got ready to go to bed too. Frank was looking through some files he had brought with him. "Are you ready to tell me what Sabrina wanted?"

"I'm not sure I want to tell you right now," Elaina said, getting in bed beside him. "Why don't you get into something more comfortable and get under the covers." Elaina kissed him and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What did you tell Sabrina? I can tell its something, I'm not going to like. You're trying to seduce me when you don't have to."

"What do you mean I don't have to?" Elaina asked, innocently.

"I'm willing to get under the covers with you. I was just waiting for Sarah to be asleep," Frank told her.

"Oh." Elaina moved away from him.  She sighed heavily knowing she had to tell him the truth. "I told Sabrina a secret of our."

"What secret?" Frank wondered, hoping it was harmless.

"I told her about you and Miranda," Elaina said, wincing knowing he was going to be upset.

"WHAT? How could you do that we swore to one another never to tell anyone." Frank was very angry. He threw the files on the floor and got off the bed. 

"I'm sorry but she needed to know…"

"Like hell, she needed to know. That was something she **never** needed to know," Frank said, yelling.

"Please lower your voice, you'll scare Sarah," Elaina told him.

"I want to know exactly why, you had to tell her our darkest secret." Frank's eyes seemed to burn a whole in her. 

"She figured it out for the most part, that sometime in our marriage you had, had an affair." 

"It wasn't an affair," Frank snapped at her.

"I told her you didn't have an affair, that it wasn't anything like that. She kept asking questions and eventually I had to tell her. She promised not to say anything to anyone, not even Cody."

"You made that promise and look what happened. I can't believe you broke your word to me, not to mention my trust in you," Frank said in anger.

"Frank, I'd never had done it, if I didn't think it would help her."

"Help her. How is the hell, did telling her help her sort out her career problems?" Frank asked, confused.

"This had nothing to do with the transfer exactly. It had to do with her getting along with Maria."

"Ok, I'm totally confused now," Frank said, sitting on the bed with his head in his hands trying to calm down.

"She wanted to know how I could possibly forgive another woman being with you. I told her it was difficult but we were working through it. I hadn't forgiven her for that act but that we just don't discuss it."

"Exactly we don't discuss it. That was the one secret we should've kept in the family but you just couldn't keep your mouth shut. But wait you think of her as family so why not tell her. Is that the way you thought about it?" Frank asked her.

"No, that isn't the way I thought about it. I do care about her. She has become my true best friend. I know she won't say anything to anyone else."

"If I hear her say one word to me about this, I'll not be responsible for my actions," Frank pledged to her.

"Don't you dare threaten Sab, be angry with me not her," Elaina said getting in his face.

"Believe me, I'm more angry with you. I do blame her a little. She came to you wanting to know what happened because you almost let it slip before.  You're mostly to blame for telling her. You've carried this friendship way too far."

"It's not like we've not told anyone about it or are you forgetting we told Allison and Miranda has told Maria?"

"That is totally different she's our therapist we had to tell her. She's bound by confidentiality not to tell anyone, Sabrina isn't. You just assume she can keep her mouth shut about it. No one can control Miranda but I though you'd be able to control yourself. "

"She won't tell anyone, I believe her promise. I'm sorry I told her but there's nothing we can do about it now." Elaina held his hand but he pulled away from her.

"I believed you, too. I'm getting out of here." Frank went out of the bedroom and Elaina followed.

"Frank, don't leave we need to talk more about this."

"You have thrown me out of our bedroom and walked away from me when I wanted to talk in the past. Now you can see how it feels," Frank said then went out the door, slamming it.

"Oh God! What have I done?" Elaina sat down and cried.


	5. The Letters

CHAPTER 5 

The next morning Frank arrived at HQ alone. Cody, Sab, Maria and Monica are all there waiting on him.

"Great, you're finally here, we tried to call but you're phone is off," Cody said. "Sab and I watched the security tapes from yesterday. We found the person putting the bomb in Alex's car." Cody handed Frank the photo he made.

"This is Keisha, Quito's girlfriend," Frank said, looking at the picture.

"Last reported sighting of her was at the border going into Mexico. From there we have no sightings of her, she just disappeared," Monica told him.

"Where is Alex?"

"I dropped her off at the hospital when Cody called and told me about Keisha. She wanted to help Sonny watch Jake," Monica explained.

"Elaina isn't here yet either. We thought you two would be together," Cody said.

"We left separately this morning," Frank said, not letting them know they weren't together last night. 

"Keisha has to be staying somewhere. Get her picture to every hotel, and dive she could be at. Check her old haunts and she if she's been seen around them. Let's find her before she finds one of us," Frank said as Derek came barging in.

"Dad! Where's Mom?" Derek said, worried. Becky followed him in with Sarah who was crying.

Frank took Sarah from Becky.  "What's wrong? Didn't she leave you a note?"

"No and she isn't answering her cell either. We checked the apartment. She isn't there, but someone had been. We drove out to the ranch and she isn't there either. I'm worried Dad. Where can she be?"

"I was at the apartment this morning picking up something," Frank told him. "Maria, call Alex and see if Elaina has been there." 

"Sab, call her office and see if she has checked in with them and ask Andy if he has heard from her," Frank ordered. "How long has Sarah been crying?"

"Since she woke up. She seems to sense something wrong, I think," Becky said.

"Alex hasn't seen or heard from her. She said she'd make sure Elaina called us if she showed up," Maria told him.

"No one has seen of heard from her this morning at the Bureau," Sab reported.

"Do you think that Keisha has gotten hold of her?" Maria asked.

"Why would she take her, she didn't know about Elaina?" 

"She might have found out about her connection with you, and took her to get to you," Monica suggested.

"Was your mother's car at the hotel?"

"No," Derek said. "They have security camera's where she parked. Do you want me to go look at them?" Derek wanted to help.

"That would be a good idea. Call me the minute you see what happened," Frank said, knowing he could handle the job. "Take Becky with you, I'll take care of Sarah."

"I can watch her and work at the same time," Sab offered.

"I said, I'd take care of her," Frank said with an icy stare to Sabrina.

"Frank, I know you're worried, Sarah is picking up on that. She needs you to calm down before she will," Monica told him.

"I'll be in my office, let me know when you find anything out." Frank carried Sarah to his office.

"We will," Cody said, going back to the operations board."

******

At the hospital, Jake was taken for some tests. Alex went with him as Sonny stayed in the room to wait. He walked to the doorway and was watching the nurses and hospital volunteers walking the halls. He did a double take as one volunteer walked by the nurse's station and glanced at Sonny. "Damn, she looks familiar," Sonny said, out loud. He thought for a while and then it dawned on him it was Keisha. He walked down the hall to try to find her. He spotted her getting on the elevator. He turned on the headset mic to talk to Alex. 

"Alex, Keisha is here. I saw her get on the elevator just now. It's headed down toward you. She's dressed as one of the volunteers. I'm taking the stairs," Sonny informs her, making his way to the stairwell.

"I'll be watching for her," Alex told him. The orderly was bringing Jake out from his tests as Alex watched in the direction of the elevator. "Keep him in there until I say different,"  she ordered.

"What's going on, Alex?" Jake asked.

"Keisha is here, Sonny saw her get on the elevator and it was coming down this way," Alex told him, then the orderly took him back in the room.

"I'm just about there Alex?" Sonny informed her.

"No sign of her yet," Alex said, still watching. "Maybe she got off on another floor." 

Sonny opened the door from the stairway he heard footsteps coming from behind him. He went out the door and stood beside it to see who came out of it. The door slowly opened. Sonny stepped in front of it to see Keisha. She's surprised to see Sonny pointing a gun at her. "Welcome back, Keisha." Sonny smiled at her.

"Are you looking for Shaw too?" Keisha asked, not realizing Sonny was helping Jake.

"No. I know exactly where he is. I take it you're the one that shot at Shaw. Now you plan to get to him again?"

"I'll get him this time with help from you," Keisha said in a sweet voice.

"Sure, you will. You didn't do a very good job on his partner. She's still alive, too."

"How did she live through a bomb? I had that rigged to her starter, it had to have killed her," Keisha confessed.

"She had a remote start on her car. She was nowhere near it when the bomb went off," Sonny told her.

"Mind if I join this party?" Alex asked, coming up behind Sonny.

"I believe you have the handcuffs. You, may have the honors," Sonny said to Alex as he held the gun on Keisha.

"You went straight? Why?" Keisha was surprised.

"Didn't you hear? An old associate of mine killed Carly and I turned on everyone I could think of, including Quito. I got tired of running. I'm a free man now and can do whatever I please. Too bad you and Quito won't have the same pleasure," Sonny said with a smile.

"You tell them to take Jake back to his room. I'll take her in. Call Donovan and tell him too," Alex said.

******

Cody went up to the office to talk to Frank about the call he received. "Boss, Sonny called. They have Keisha in custody. Alex is taking her in. He said it went with out injury to anyone."

"That's good to hear. Any news from Elaina?" Frank was becoming even more worried as time passed. He felt something but wasn't sure what exactly.

"Not yet," Cody said, turning around and leaving. Andy met him on the steps. "What are you doing here, miss us?" Cody joked.

"Frank in his office?" Andy asked, somberly.

"Yep, he and Sarah are reading files." Cody smiled and continued down the stairs.

Andy went up and knocked even though the door was open. "Mind if I come in?"

"Come on in Andy. Have you heard from Elaina?" Frank asked.

"In a way yes. This was delivered to my office an hour ago." Andy held a package.

Frank cell phone rang. "Hang on a minute, that maybe her. Hello."

"Dad. Mom looked ok when she left but she left at 3am. Did you know she left then?"

"I wasn't home last night. I'll explain, just get over here as soon as you can," Frank told him and hung up. "Seems Elaina took off about 3am to go somewhere. So what's in this package? You said it was from her?"

"There are letters addressed to you, Derek, Maria and Sabrina." He handed Frank his and Derek's letter as Sab and Maria came running in.

"What do you two want?" Frank asked, annoyed by their barging in.

"We read the letters," Maria said, out of breath. 

"You have to read yours and quick," Sab said, anxiously. 

"Why, what did yours say?" Frank asked, opening up the letter. Sarah tried to take it from him. "Maria, take her please." Frank gave Sarah to Maria, but she reached for Sab, who took her.

"Frank, I can tell by your look, you've the same feeling we do. These are suicide letters," Maria said with tears in her eyes.

"She had to be forced to write these. Elaina doesn't believe in suicide," Frank said, angrily.

"Don't be so sure, the other thing in the package was her resignation. She named her replacement too."

"She what?" Sab asked in disbelief. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I don't know! If I knew I wouldn't be sitting here," Frank snapped. "If she did leave on her own she had to take the plane. Have Cody call and see if it went out last night."

"Okie." Sab took Sarah with her as she went downstairs to tell him.

"Where would she go?" Andy asked.

"Back to the Double D." Frank dialed the Double D house. The phone was picked up by the answering machine. "Elaina, if you are there, please pick up. Lady, I'm sorry about the argument we had. Please answer me." When she didn't answer he hung up.

"Is Hank there, maybe he's seen her or she's out riding?" Maria suggested.

Frank again dialed Hank's cell; it took a while for Hank to answer. "Hank, have you seen Elaina?"

"No, I just got back from town and I haven't been to the main house yet today."

"Please go see if she's there. We need to find her. She left some very cryptic notes for us and they just don't sound like she'd write them freely."

"Hold on. I'll go see. I'll keep you on the line, so you two can talk, if she's there," Hank said, walking to the main house. Frank listened as he heard Hank call out to Elaina. "No answer yelling at her. I'm going up stairs," As he said it he heard a gunshot. Hank hurried up the steps and ran to the room. "Oh, good Lord."

"Hank! HANK! What happened?" Frank asked before the phone disconnected. Sab, Cody and Monica came in.

"I called your pilot. She did use the plane but it came back about an hour ago," Cody said. "She told the pilot that she wasn't coming back."


	6. Confession

CHAPTER 6 

"Dad! What's wrong? You look upset. Is there word about Mom?" Derek said, coming in the office a few minutes later.

"Derek, your mom…" Frank couldn't tell them what they thought. Frank had tried to call the house number but it was busy. He couldn't tell Derek when he wasn't sure what happened.

"Your mom is at the Double D. Hank was on his way to get her to talk to your Dad and the phone disconnected. We haven't been able to get through again," Maria explained. 

Derek saw the letter with his name, lying on Frank's desk. "What's this, it's in Mom's hand writing?" Derek took the letter and opened it before Frank could stop him.

"You don't have to read that right now." Sab tried to get him not to read it but he did.

"Mom just went to the ranch to think. Nothing to worry about," Derek said, reading the rest of the letter.

"What does it say?" Frank was curious.

"Mom's usual," Derek said as he read it out loud:

**My Dearest Derek, **

**    I have to go home for a while. Please look after Sarah for me and your Dad, too. He could use some watching. I need some time alone to put some memories to rest.  I need to clear my mind and get away from what has been happening around there. **

**   Remember to work with White Sand, so Sarah can ride him soon. Give her a hug and kiss every night and morning for me. I'll call in a few days, don't worry about me. I love you all. Take care of your self and Becky too.        Love, Mom**

"That sounds totally different from our letters," Maria said as she and Sab read their letters again.

Frank picked up the phone and dialed the ranch again. "I hope Hank answers this time, I need to know what the hell is going on." This time the answering machine came on. "Elaina, Hank are you there? What's going on?"

"Frank, I'm sorry I disconnected you. Elaina is fine now," Hank said as he picked up the receiver. 

"What do you mean 'now'?" Frank asked, worried.

"I think you should get here and let her explain everything. She really needs you Friend."

"Why did I hear a gunshot?" Frank said as Derek looked at him in surprise.

"Well, I guess I should tell you that. Seems that Missy was doing some target practice in the house. She's been drinking a bit too heavy. I have her taking a shower to sober up some."

"She didn't hurt herself then?" Frank asked, still worried.

"Nah. She'll be ok after the hangover is gone. Hang on a minute," Hank told him as Elaina came out. "Here, he's worried about you. Talk to him."

"He's angry with me," Elaina said, sitting on the bed.

"He's worried now; the anger was last night. Now talk." Hank handed her the phone.

"Hello," Elaina said, quietly.

"Lady, don't you ever scare us like that again. I'm so glad you're safe."

"I left all of you notes. I wrote all of you to tell you what I was doing. Why were you so worried?" Elaina asked a bit confused.

"Derek's letter was more coherent than the others, they sounded like…never mind."  Frank didn't want to say it.

"I started with his. I saved yours for last because I didn't know what to say. I was drinking when I wrote them. I guess I messed up again. I don't even remember sending them." Elaina rambled and her speech still showed signs of her being drunk.

"We'll be there as soon as we can. We'll talk about what happened and straighten all this out. I love you very much, Lady."

"Love you too. I have to go throw up now. Here Hank." Elaina gave him the phone as she ran to the bathroom.

"Frank?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I see the hang over is starting," Frank chuckled.

"Yep. When can I expect you?"

"Couple of hours should do it. See you then."

********

Frank and the family arrived at the ranch in the afternoon. He went directly into the house before the others got out of the SUV. "Elaina!" Frank yelled for her.

"I'm right here, Love," Elaina said, coming from the kitchen.

Frank grabbed her and kissed her. "You scared the hell out of us. We thought something had happened to you."

"Momma!" Sarah came running in with Becky and Derek.

"Oh, my little one. I didn't know you were coming." Elaina picked her up and held her close to her.

"Dad let the whole gang come." Derek hugged her.

"The whole gang?" Elaina asked.

"Maria and Sab are here too. They stayed outside with Hank," Frank told her. "They wouldn't take no for an answer."

"I'm surprised you're talking to Sab; or me for that matter."

"I should never have said those things to you last night," Frank said holding her again. "I shouldn't have left you either, especially, if I had known it would affect you this way."     

"You were right. I did find out how you felt those times. It was the worse feeling I could've experienced."

"From now on, we don't walk away from an argument we finish it. No matter how long it takes," Frank told her.

"I agree. I don't like that feeling at all. I don't want you to feel it again either."

"Andy sent you something," Frank handed her torn up paper.

"This would be my resignation wouldn't it?" Elaina asked. "I guess I have to go back to work then."

"Not for a few weeks. Andy told me to take the vacation time we asked for but never took," Frank told her.

"We were waiting for Sab and Cody's wedding to take it. But I think I need it more now," Elaina said, kissing Sarah.

"They understand they're taking some of their time off too. Cody thinks they need to be together alone for a few days."

"So why is she here and not with him?" Elaina wondered.

"She wanted to see for herself that you're ok."

"I better go see her and Maria. I bet Hank is having to keep them apart."

"I don't think so, they had a long talk on the way here. I think things are changing between them," Frank said.

"Really?" Elaina was surprised. "I thought it would take a few months at the least."

"Come on see for yourself." Frank took her by the hand. Elaina put Sarah down then they walked out to the porch. She saw Hank sitting between the two ladies, as they were talking.

"Lainie!" Maria reached her first and hugged her tight. "We were so worried about you. How could you do that to us?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know I did anything. I guess I drank more than I should have," Elaina apologized as Sab came over to her.

"No more booze for you. We're going to make sure of it," Sab told her.

"Really I'm not a drunk, I just got depressed and …" Elaina stopped for a minute. "I'll be careful. I promise I'll not drink in excess ever again."

"You're not going to drink at all," Maria told her.

"You both are agreeing? I guess it's true that you're getting along with one another."

"It's all your fault, if you hadn't pulled this stunt, we'd probably still not be talking to each other," Sab told her.

"See what you did," Frank teased.

"Damn! If I knew that was all it took, I could've done it a long time ago," Elaina joked but no one thought it funny.

"Don't even say that. We didn't want you to do it this time or ever again," Sab told her.

"So when are you two going back to Chicago?" Elaina asked.

"In a day or two. Trying to get rid of us so soon?" Maria asked.

"I just know you have work to do and Sab needs to get back to Cody."

"We're going back with Becky and Derek. They'll be staying with me, while you and Frank are here," Maria said.

"If you want I can take care of Sarah," Sab told her.  
  


"I want her here with us, Sabrina. I'd like for Derek and Becky to stay too but I know they have a job and a tyrant for a boss," Elaina said, teasing Maria.

"I told them they could have the time off but they want to give you two time together."

"Ok. They can do what they want. I'm glad that everything is going ok. Wait! What about Jake and Alex?" Elaina said.

"Sonny and Alex caught the person it was Keisha, Quito Real's girlfriend. "She confessed to planting the bomb to Sonny and the shooting," Maria explained.

"That's great news. I think I want to go in and spend some time with the kids. There's something I need to tell Frank in private."

"Tell me first, then spend time with the kids," Frank suggested.

"I guess I can do it that way. We can go to the safe room for privacy."

"In other words you don't want the kids to hear," Frank said to her.

"Or some adults." She winked at Maria and Sab.

"Don't let us stop you," Maria told her. "I'm going to call Reese, go see him if he'll be home."

"Hank is going to show me the new horses," Sab said, walking back over to Hank. 

"Come on Love, let me get this over with." Elaina really didn't want to tell him but she had too.

******

They went in and locked the door. Elaina sat down on the couch. Frank had a puzzled look on his face as he walked over to her. "So tell me what it is, that you thought could wait."

"Do me a favor first," Elaina said.

"What is that?" Frank put his arms around her.

"Kiss me and hold me close."

He did as she asked. "You're shaking. What is it that you need to tell me? Just say it please."

"Hank lied to you this morning." Elaina looked into his dark brown eyes. "When he walked in, I did have the gun pointed at me. He turned the phone off, in case I pulled the trigger before he could talk me into putting it down. He knew you'd try to call back so he took the phone off the hook."

"Lady, why would you try something like that? You don't believe in suicide."

"It was the depression and the booze. I didn't really know what I was doing. I'm sorry. I'm just glad he came in when he did." Elaina started to cry; Frank held her and let her get it out.

"If I hadn't called him… I don't want to think about it. First thing in the morning, I want you to go see our doctor here. I think you need to go on the anti-depressant medication, that Daniel suggested once before."

"I don't like taking meds. I'll keep my sessions with Allison. I'll be ok," Elaina told him but saw that Frank wasn't taking that as an answer. "Please Frank, if I go on that medication I may not be able to work assignments. I love getting out of the office working with the team. They could even make me retire."

"Lady. You already resigned. Now you're afraid of forced retirement?" Frank chuckled.

"Andy refused the resignation. If I go on the meds he'll have to retire me or I'll be miserable behind my desk until I do retire," Elaina figured.

"You don't know that for sure. We'll talk to Andy, but I want you to go on the medication while we're here. If you feel better on it then you keep taking it. If there's no change, then you can come off them."

"That's not much of a deal." Elaina got up to pace.

"It's the only deal I'm making with you. Lady, you just told me you pointed a gun at yourself. I have noticed, you having bouts of depression. You think you've been hiding them from me but you can't. Not from me," Frank told her, walking in front of her to stop her pacing.

"You're right. I've been trying to hide it from you and everyone else. The past few weeks have been really rough with what happened with Sab, my past haunting me, the fire. All of that just took a lot out of me emotionally. Then when we argued last night. I just couldn't take the sound of that door slamming and you being gone from my mind." Elaina looked at Frank's face. She could see how guilty he was feeling. "Don't blame yourself, Love. What you did, saved me in the long run." 

"You found a reason for this all happening?" Frank asked.

"Yes. If you hadn't had the argument with me, we wouldn't have known how deep my depression was, Maria and Sab wouldn't be talking yet, and the best thing, is we have a few weeks to be together without work interfering with us." Elaina hugged and kissed him, passionately.

"I really like that last reason, too. Especially, if we do more kissing, holding and everything it leads to," Frank said, flashing a big smile to her.

"How about we let the kissing and holding we're doing now lead to something?" Elaina's smile was devilish.

"We can do that. If you say you'll see the doctor tomorrow," Frank said, while kissing her neck.

"Bribing me? That isn't very gentlemanly."

"Whatever works to get you better," Frank said, pulling away from her.

"Ok. I'll do it. Now get back in my arms where you belong." Elaina opened her arms wide inviting him to hold her.

"Like this, Lady?" Frank asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her feet off the floor.

"Very much like that." Elaina kissed him as he moved to the couch and laid her down on it. 

"I'm so much in love with you at this moment, it hurts."

"That's our souls touching again. I feel it too," Elaina said, looking into his eyes as they start making love to each other. 

Authors Note: You know what happened to Elaina but not the why. In the next fic you'll find out what caused her to do what she did. I was depressed when I wrote this so my main character got to feel what I was feeling. Don't worry I'm much better now! Thanks for reading!!! MaryAnn

**Cindy, could you email me. I'd like to tell you something about future fics. jvillelady@hotmail.com **


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